Children's motion device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing children's motion devices face challenges such as high material costs, manufacturing complexity, susceptibility to fatigue, environmental concerns, and increased weight due to the use of flexible metal springs, which affect their performance and production efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The use of non-metal resilient biasing elements made from polymeric elastomer materials, such as thermoplastic polyester elastomer, to provide a bouncing or cyclical motion in children's motion devices, replacing traditional metal springs with more cost-effective and durable alternatives like DuPont™ Hytrel® material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flexible metal springs are used to impart bouncing motion, then the device provides reliable cyclical motion, but material costs and production expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces metal spring mechanical systems with polymeric elastomer materials that provide equivalent bouncing motion through material elasticity rather than mechanical spring geometry, eliminating the need for metal forming, coating, and assembly processes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameter from metal to polymeric elastomer, fundamentally altering the physical state and properties of the biasing element to achieve the same functional effect with different material characteristics that are more cost-effective and easier to manufacture
2Reliability
If flexible metal springs are used to impart bouncing motion, then the device achieves the required motion function, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates complex metal spring manufacturing processes including coiling, heat treatment, surface coating, and quality inspection by substituting with simpler polymeric elastomer fabrication processes such as molding or extrusion, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the complex metal spring component entirely from the system, replacing it with a simplified polymeric elastomer element that achieves the same biasing function with fewer manufacturing steps and lower complexity
3Reliability
If flexible metal springs are used to impart bouncing motion, then the device provides cyclical motion, but susceptibility to fatigue failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to polymeric elastomer, which inherently possesses superior fatigue resistance and elastic recovery properties, allowing the biasing element to withstand repeated cyclical loading without fatigue failure or loss of elasticity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses polymeric elastomer materials that combine multiple desirable properties including high elasticity, fatigue resistance, and durability in a single material system, eliminating the need for metal springs that are prone to fatigue failure
4Reliability
If flexible metal springs are used to impart bouncing motion, then the device achieves the required biasing function, but weight increases leading to higher transport costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material density parameter by substituting heavy metal springs with lightweight polymeric elastomer materials, significantly reducing the weight of the biasing elements while maintaining the required biasing function and mechanical performance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces dense metal mechanical systems with lightweight polymeric materials, achieving the same functional effect with substantially reduced weight, thereby lowering transport and handling costs
5Reliability
If flexible metal springs with powder-coating are used, then the device achieves the required motion, but environmental concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for metal powder-coating processes and associated environmental hazards by substituting metal springs with polymeric elastomer materials that inherently provide the required motion performance without requiring harmful surface treatments
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of metal powder-coating environmental contamination into a benefit by using polymeric materials that eliminate the need for such coating processes entirely, thereby preventing environmental pollution while maintaining or improving motion performance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces production costs, simplifies manufacturing, enhances durability, and minimizes environmental impact while maintaining the entertainment and exercise benefits for children, offering a more sustainable and efficient solution for children's motion devices.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one interconnecting member preferably deforms elastically and resiliently and imparts a counter-biasing force on the child-supporting portion in response to the bouncing motion
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A children's motion device (10,110,1210,1310) such as a bouncer or jumper, including a base (1020,1120,120,1220, 1320,20,220,320,420,520,620,720,820,920), a child-supporting portion, and at least one non-metal resilient biasing element (1060,1160,160, 260,460,560,60,660,760,860,960) operatively engaged between the base (1020,1120,120,1220,1320,20,220,320,420,520,620,720,820,920) and the child-supporting portion to allow motion of the child-supporting portion relative to the base (1020,1120,120,1220,1320,20,220,320,420,520, 620,720,820,920). In example forms, the resilient biasing element (1060,1160,160,260,460,560,60,660,760,860,960) is formed from a polymeric polyester elastomer material.